Clothesline equipment



Oct. 8, 1935. G. A. POTTS ET AL CLOTHESLINE EQUIPMENT Filed Dec. 17, 1954 INVENTORS "w Q Pozzs 7x 4/, Putz-s ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 8, 1935 v .UNITED STATES CLOTHESLINE EQUIPMENT 7 George A. Potts, Paterson, and John W. Potts,

North Caldwell, N. J.; said John W. Potts assignor to said George A. Potts Application December 17, 1934, Serial No. 757,836

Claims.

This invention relates to assemblies used for hanging garments in drying them, etc., and it has for its principal object to provide an assembly of this class which shall comprise, with an endless line and means to support the same extended substantially horizontally and with which the line has a running engagement, a-system of carrier elements to which the garments may be attached and which travel on one stretch of the line and a motor element which travels on said stretch and is ailixed to the other stretch and is coupled with the adjoining carrier element in such manner as to advance the latter with such motor element as the same moves in either direction with the stretch to which it is attached.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 shows the complete assembly in operative condition, supporting the garments;

Figs. 2 and 3 are front and side elevations of one of the carrier elements;

Figs. 4 and 5 are similar elevations of the draft element;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the coupling;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of a stretcher of the carrier element, detached; and

Fig. 8 is a transverse section of the stretcher.

Let i be an endless clothes-line supported to travel on pulleys 2 one of which may be attached to a building 3, as near a window thereof, and the other to a post 4 remote from such building.

The draft element consists of two lengths of wire 6 and i each formed at one end with a hook, 5a and la, their hook end portions converging to a point where one length is twisted around the other, then extends lengthwise of the other and spaced therefrom to form a loop 6?) and is finally again twisted around the other, the latter length 1 extending beyond the latter twist and bent to form a hook-like return at each side of which this length exists further bent around ahorizontal bearing pin 8 on which is journaled a grooved pulley c. This element is arranged on the line so that the pulley or guide here travels on the upper stretch and its hooks 5a and 1a receive and grip the other stretch of the line, which grip is made effective because the hooks lie in the same plane and the line is held by them bent in opposite directions.

Each carrier element also includes two lengths of wire it and i 5. At one side of their mid-points length it is twisted around length N and at the other side of such mid-point length l l is twisted around length it], the twists as shown being substantially in axial alinement and having a loop l2 formed between them. One end of each wire (01. ss-s) I.

extends in one direction and the other end in the opposite direction radially with respect to the twists, the former ends being bent to form hooklike returns and being further bent around bearing pins Iii in the same manner as already de- 6 scribed with respect to the motor element, grooved pulleys it being journaled on these pins. The other end of each wire terminates in a hookshaped clip l5. These clips receive a stretcher formed. by'a pair of slats l6, preferably com- 10 posed of wood or equivalent non-corrosive substance which are channeled at their inner sides, as shown in Fig. 8, and receive in the channels a metal reinforcing bar ll. Each of these elements is arranged with its pulleys or guides on that stretch of the line on which the pulley of the draft element travels.

At I8 is shown the coupling to connect the draft element with the next adjoining carrier element. It is a length of wire having one end bent to form an enlargement Ella and the other end formed as a hook l8b. To couple the draft and carrier elements together the coupling is passed hook-end foremost through the loop 61) of the former element, whereupon its hook is engaged with the loop l2 of the carrier element, its portion |8a forming an enlargement which cannot pass through the loop 62).

In operation the draft element is hooked over the upper stretch of the lineso that its pulley or 7 guide will travel thereon and the line is engaged with its hooks 6a1a as described. The line is then advanced in the direction of the arrows and a carrier element hooked over said upper stretch of the line so that its pulleys or guides will travel thereon and said carrier element is then coupled with the motor element by coupling l8. By means of a clothes-pin IS a garment or other piece 20 is attached to the stretcher thereof. Then, another carrier element being hooked over the upper stretch of the line, by means of a second clothespin the garment is attached to the stretcher of this carrier element. And so on as shown in Fig. 1, the train of elements moving outwardly with the lower stretch of the line as the upper stretch moves inwardly due to the draft element being fast to the lower stretch. At the same time the lower stretch may as shown, be used to hang garments thereon by clothes-pins in the usual way, so that our invention makes possible utilizing both stretches of the line. Further, when the clothes are to be taken in a pull on the lower stretch causes the draft element to push the next adjoining carrier toward the operator, which it is well adapted to do through the link or coupling l8 and because its portion which grips said lower stretch is forked.

Having thus fully described our invention what we claim is:

1. In combination, with an endless line and means to support the same extended substantially horizontally and with which the line has a running engagement, a train of intercoupled elements one of which is a draft element aflixed to one stretch of the line to move therewith and having a travelling engagement with the other stretch and another of which elements is a carrier element having means to which to attach a garment and also having a travelling engagement with said other stretch.

2. In combination, with an endless line and means to support the same extended substantially horizontally and with which the line has a running engagement, a train of intercoupled -elements one of which is a draft element afiixed to one stretch of the line at longitudinally spaced points thereof and having a guiding portion arranged to'travel on the other stretch of the line and another of which elements is a carrier element having means to which to attach a garment and also having a travelling engagement with said other stretch.

3. In an equipment of the class described, the combination of a draft element adapted to travel on a clothes line, a carrier element having means to which to attach a garment and adapted to travel on such line, one of said elements having a loop, and a wire coupling extending through and having at one end an enlargement engaging the loop and at its other end a hook disconnectively connected with the other element.

4. In an equipment of the class described including a line and means by which the line is supported so as to extend substantially horizontally, the combination of a carrier element having a pair of guides adapted to travel on the line and two depending extremities formed with terminal clips and a stretcher to which to attach a garment spanning the space between said extremities 15 and held in its clips.

5. In an equipment of the class described including a line and means by which the line is supported so as to extend substantially horizontally, the combination of a carrier element having a pair of guides adapted to travel on the line and two depending extremities formed with terminal clips and a stretcher to which to attach a garment spanning the space between said extremities and held in its clips, said stretcher including a pair of slats having opposed longitudinal channels and a reinforcing bar occupying the channels.

GEORGE A. PO'I'IS.

JOHN W. POTTS. 

